New guideline published on sentence reduction for early plea

After lengthy consultation last year the Sentencing Council has published its new guideline on the stages and levels of reduction for a guilty plea.

The Guideline defines with greater precision the time limits applicable to each of the percentage discounts. The significant exceptions to those time limits are likely to be of particular interest to practitioners advising individual offenders and organisations charged with regulatory offences including, for example, breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990.